Combined searchlight and boat running light



I March 15, 1949.

w. G. TULOWIECKI COMBINED SEARCHLIGHT AND BOAT RUNNING LIGHT Filed Feb. 11, 1946 INVENTOR I ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 15, 1949 COMBINED SEARCHLIGHT AND BOAT RUNNING LIGHT William G. Tulowiecki, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application February 11, 1946, Serial No. 646,789

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a combined searchlight and boat running light and has for its primary object to provide a unit of this character which is practical and serviceable both as a boat fixture as well as a portable flashlight.

The invention further has for its object to provide a novel boa-t running light unit which will display to better advantage the port and starboard designations.

Again the invention will be found to reside in a unique boat running light set incorporating a Searchlight ready for emergency usage, as when bringing the boat into harbor or through a narrow marked channel.

These and further objects will manifest themselves as the following description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a light unit embodying the present invention; and t Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of light unit.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the base of the unit, the same having an upstanding body portion 2 formed with a transverse upright front wall 3. A frame member 4 in the form of a mullion extends forwardly from the front wall to give support to the red and green globes 5 and 6 which constitute the starboard and port compartments. The globes have their lower edges seating in grooves 1 in the base and their rear edges on a marginal shoulder 8 about the front wall. A single bulb 9 will serve to illuminate both globes since the compartments are undivided beneath the frame member 4. The bulb may be mounted upon either the front wall or the bottom wall as desired. The frame member 4 is preferably removable for placement and replacement of the globes and the bulb, and to this end the frame member may have a tongue III on one end interlocked in a recess in the front wall and its opposite end anchored by a screw II to the base.

--Rising upwardly from the body portion 2 is a bracket arm [2 which overhangs the port and starboard compartments approximately in the plane of the frame member 4, and suitably mounted on the forward end of the arm is a searchlight having a casing l3 with a transparcm front I4 to enclose a reflector IS in which a relatively stronger bulb I6 is arranged. Preferably the searchlight is of the focusing typeand therefore the. reflector may be adjustable. To this end the reflector has a rearwardly extending rod l1 threadedly engaged by a nut l8 so that by turning the nut in one direction or the other the desired focus of the light beam may be obtained. The nut I8 may have its outer contour blend into that of the searchlight casing and knurled as at l9, The Searchlight may be mounted on the arm [2 by a swivel to enable universal adjustment of the same for the proper placement of the projected beam upon the objective.

While the light unit may be energized from the generator of the boat's power plant, as through circuit wires 2| leading down through an opening 22 in the deck 23 of the boat, it is preferable to have the unit removable, in which event the bracket arm l2 will constitute a carrying handle; and for enabling a, ready removal of the unit from the deck, the latter is provided with upstanding headed studs 24 each adapted to be received within the companion socket part 25 of a separable spring fastener, such companion part being embedded within the base and opening downwardly therefrom. The fastener may be of the conventional glove fastener type in which the socket part is sprung over the head. By grasping the handle l2 and lifting upon the unit or tilting the same the snap fasteners may be dissembled and the unit disengaged from the deck, whereupon the unit in its portable condition may have the searchlight serve as a spotlight or flashlight to facilitate movement through the dark.

When used as a portable unit, a self-contained battery of two or more cells 26 is arranged within the chamber 21 formed in the under face of the base I and normally closed by a plate 28. The cells are divided, one part being electrically connected to the running light 9 by a switch '29, while the relatively stronger searchlight bulb will be connected to the entire battery through a switch 30. The plural switches may be selectively controlled for enabling spotlight use independent of the running light use and vice versa.

The unit may be sold as a boat running light set and is especially adapted for use on the smaller craft which are occasionally used in open weather. It readily finds practical application for outboard motor craft since it is readilymount ed on and demounted from the deck by means of the snap fasteners, On th larger boats having heavier power plants equipped with generators, the unit may be permanently secured to the deck and the circuit wiring connected to the source of generated energy. The Searchlight is useful as an emergency light and with itssupporting bracket arm serves as a covering or protection for the underlying port and starboard lights. This arrangement therefore provides a serviceable unit which will stand rough usage. The starboard and port lights are readily observed from the front and side as well as from above and thereby tend toward safer navigation. The removable globe retaining frame member 4 facilitates proper maintenance of the running lights in a practical manner, the same enabling replacement of the cupped or hollow glass covers for the compartments.

The foregoing description has been given in detail for ease of understanding only, since the inventive principles involved are capable of assumin other physical embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined boat running light and searchlight unit comprising a base having an upstanding body portion forming a transverse front wall, a-globe' retaining frame member extending forwardlyfrom the front Wall and anchored at its forward end to the base, port and. starboard globes arranged on opposite sides of said member and seating on the base, said retaining frame member' serving to hold the globes in place to provide the running lights for the boat, a bracket arm rising from the body portion and overhanging the frame member and globes, a searchlight adjustably mounted on the front end of the arm and overhanging the globes, and means selectively energizing the searchlight and running lights.

2. A combined boat running light and searchlight unit comprising a base having an upstanding body portion forming a transverse front wall, port and starboard hollow covers seating on the base and having adjacent edges extending forwardly from the front Wall, a frame member engaged with the base and said adjacent edges of the covers to retain them in place to provide the running light compartments, a bracket arm rising from the body portion and overhanging the compartments, a searchlight adjustably mounted on the front end of the arm and overhanging the compartments, and means selectively energizing the searchiigh't and running lights and including a battery contained within the base.

3. A combined boat running light and searchlight unit. comprising a base with adjacent starboard and port compartments inclosed by a pair of opposed complemental and hollow light transmitting covers, a bracket arm upstanding from the base and overhanging the covers, a searchlight adjustably mounted on the upper end of the arm, said arm serving as a carryinghandle for the unit, and snap fastener means having a part on the under side of the base cooperable with a separable part on the boat deck for detachably securing the unit to the deck.

4. A combined boat running light and searchlight unit comprising a base having an upstanding body portion forming a transverse front wall, a-pair of hollow and complemental light transmitting covers seated on the base against the wall and serving to form port and starboard light compartments, a bracket arm rising from the body portion, a searchlight adjustably mounted'on the front end of the arm, means selectively energizing the Searchlight and compartment lights and including a battery contained within the base, and. separable means embedded in the underface of the base ior detachable engagement with cooperating means on the boat.

. 5. A combined boat running light and search light unit comprising a basehaving an upstanding bracket arm constituting a handle for carrying the unit, a searchlight casing mounted on the upper end of the arm, the base having port and starboard light compartments underlying and separate from the casing of the searchlight, a plural cell battery chamber in the base, and separate means for selectively connecting the battery to the searchlight and compartment light.

6. A combined boat running light and searchlight unit comprising a base with adjacent starboard and port compartments, a source of light for said compartments, a bracket arm partially overhanging the-latter, a searchlight casing adjustably mounted on the outer end of said arm and projecting therefrom normally to overhang the compartments to a greater extent for cooperating with the arm and base to house the compartments therebetween, a source of light for said casing and means operable for selectively energizing the lights in the'compartments and cas- 7. A boat running light set comprising a..base;. a pair of opposed covers seatedthereon: overa. source of light energy, a mullion' strip interlocked at one end to said base by andzupon relative move merit and engaging the opposed edges of. said covers to retain them in. place,.and meansspaced. from the interlock and:removeablysecuringasaidi strip to said base against relative movementm: thereby secure the interlockandalso to hold: the strip operative.

8. A combined boat running light andasearch light unit comprising abase having an:upstand-- ing body portion forming a transverse? front- Wall, a globe retainingi'frame member'extending forwardly from the front wall andv anchored at. its forward end to the base, port andzstarboardi globes arranged on opposite sides of said member and seating on the base, said retaining frame member serving tohold the globes in" place: to. provide the runninglights for the boat,.a bracket arm rising from the body portion and overhang ing the frame member and globes, a Searchlight mounted on the front end of the arm and: overthanging the globes, and means selectively energize ing the searchlight'and running lights.

9. A combined boat running light and searchlight unit comprising a base having anupstanding body portion forming a transversefront wall; port and starboard hollow covers seating on: the base and having adjacent edges extending for"- wardly from the front wall, a frame member errgaged with the base of said adjacent. edges. to the covers to retain them in place to provide: the running light compartments, a Searchlight mounted on the upstanding body portion and. overhanging the compartments, and meansselectively emergizing the searchlight andrun-' ning lights and including a battery contained; within the base.

10. A combined boat running light and searchlight unit comprising a base with adjacent star board and'port compartments inclosed by a pair: of opposed complemental and hollow light transmitting. covers, a bracket arm upstanding from the base, a searchlight mounted onthe"'upper end of the arm andoverhan'ging the covers, said" arm serving as a carrying handle for the unit, and

snap fastener means having apart on the under: side of the base cooperable with a separable part on the boat deck for 'detachably securing the unit to the deck.

11. A combined boat running light and search-- light unit comprising" a base having an upstandiing body" portion forming a transverse front wall,

5 6 a pair of hollow and complemental light transmitting covers seated on the base against the wall REFERENCES CITED and serving to form port and. starboard light The following references are of record in the compartments, a searchlight mounted on the base file of this patent:

and overhanging the compartments, means selec- UNITED STATES PATENTS tively energizing the searchlight and compartment lights and including a battery contained Number me Date within the base, and separable means embedded in 783,935 Du Bois Feb. 28, 1905 the underface of the base for detachable engage- 1,794,160 Dodge Feb. 24, 1931 ment with cooperating means on the boat. 10 ,931,712 Trahey Oct. 24, 1933 WILLIAM G. TULOWIECKI. 

